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January has been an odd month, as i've been on a spending ban in order to save for Australia for the majority of the month so I haven't been doing an awful lot outside of the blogging world and i've not really been trying many new products this month (even though it has just been Christmas). I thought i'd take the opportunity to talk about some products i've been loving on and off for months, but have never really made a feature on the blog before, as I love putting up monthly favourites and didn't want to skip a month.

As I mentioned, I haven't really been trying many new products this months as I featured all of the newer products in last months favourites (which you can read here), so i've just been sticking to the same old products as well as also using products that i've had in my stash for a while. During the month of January i've definitely been taking care of my skin a lot more, as my skin has been majorly dry with the harsh/cold temperatures so i've found myself reaching for skincare a lot more than usual, so my favourite products of this month is a majority of skincare products.

My favourite skincare product of this month has definitely been the Clinique Pep Start Moisturiser (£24.50), which I picked up within a gift set during the Christmas sales and it was an absolute bargain so I couldn't say no. I've been using it as my everyday moisturiser for the majority of January and it has got to be one of the best moisturisers that i've used in a long time! If like myself you suffer with dry or irritated skin, and you're looking for a new day time moisturiser then you should definitely give this a go as it works to just soothe, but to also hydrate and blur imperfections. What I like about this moisturiser is that it somewhat works like a primer, as I find it makes my foundation look and go on so much nicer than when I wasn't using this moisturiser.

Another couple of skincare products that i've been using for some time, but on and off so i've never really allowed them to show their full potential are from a brand called Briaa. Now i'd never heard of this brand prior to trying their products, but Briaa is a natural skincare brand that uses a mix of scientific methods and wisdom of ancient tradition to create their skincare products for renewal, restoration and nutrition. I've recently been trying out their Pure Hydration Cleansing Gel* ($30), which as the name would suggest is a gel based cleanser that is designed to cleanse and also hydrate your complexion. Personally i've never gotten on that well with gel cleansers as they usually dry out my skin, however this is completely different as it leaves my skin not only feeling cleansed but also looking radiant, and so smooth which was a surprise as most gel cleansers i've tried leave my skin feeling stripped and dry. Another product i've been getting on really well with is their Deep Revitalising Mask* ($50) which is a part of one of their sets and this is specifically aimed at rejuvenating the skin. This mask is different to your typical polishing mask, as you use it in a different way to your typical scrub like mask. I typically apply this to wet skin and leave to set for around 10 minutes, and then I begin to rub the mask gently into my skin in order for it work into my pores and to remove any dead skin. I've been using this for a few months now, typically when my skin is awfully dry and this just sorts my skin out like no other mask.

Moving onto the beauty products that have been getting quite a bit of wear these past few weeks, both of which just boast my love for all things nude pink at the minute. Firstly is the Colourpop Ultra Matte Lip ($6) in the shade Bianca, which i've been wearing non stop in order to make myself look more alive as a nude lip just makes me feel so much more put together! I love this shade as it's a beautiful brown nude that I wouldn't usually wear, but the pink undertone makes it so much more wearable as I don't typically suit a true brown nude. Formula wise, they aren't the best if you've got dry lips and I find that they go a bit odd if you try to put lip balm underneath, so I tend to try to really pack on the lip balm and remove it just before applying to stop this setting into the dry areas of my lips. Other than that, I love these lip products! Lastly we have the nail colour that has been on my nails for the past couple of weeks, and this is a shade i've had for ages but i've never used would you believe it! This is OPI Tickle My Francey (£7.95) is a beautiful mauve nude shade that is just beautiful for this time of year as i'm just so into my nude shades at the moment! Although i'm a massive lover of gels, i've found using normal nail varnishes with a gel topcoat to be just as good and just as long lasting.

So those were my favourite products throughout the month of January, and some products that i've rekindled my love for!

With Australia starting to become a glimmer on the horizon, i'm currently scouting out and lusting over far too many bikinis and floaty tops for anyones liking. I've recently come across an absolutely loaded online fashion shop called Zaful, which has an amazing variety of products from clothing, to accessories and even beauty at amazingly affordable prices. So I thought i'd put together a little wish list off all the bits i'm currently lusting over!

Zaful is an online retailer that offers worldwide shipping on what I would say are really affordable, yet amazing quality pieces of which rival some of the current high street but they have every thing you would ever need in one place, which for me is perfect! Now i'm fully aware that wish list contains all things summer when we're currently in the middle of Winter, but as i'm going to Australia soon, fortunately enough it's summer time there! As we're in the middle of winter, most clothing shops on the high street are currently stocking all things knitwear and fur, which all good and well but I can't really go scuba diving in a wooly jumper now can I, so thats where my online search came from and in my quest I came across Zaful.

Starting off with two swimsuits that i'm currently lusting over far too much, as i'm really into leaf prints and all things tropical at the moment, as they both give off the vibe of total paradise. This Green Banded Bikini Set (£10.49) is exactly what I love about a bikini with the little cut out details adding a sexy element, although there is nothing sexy about those tan, or in my case burn lines that these bikinis leave. I also love the print, as it's so tropical and has got me dreaming of the Island hopping i'll be doing when sailing around the Whitsundays. Alternatively if i'm not feeling a bikini, i'm currently eyeing up this Strappy Printed One Piece Swimsuit (£17.51), which again has the lovely cut out detail on the back which I just love. It is also slightly low cut on the neckline, which I find quite flattering especially on small boob girls like myself. To go along with these bikinis, or any bikinis is this Front Slit Cami Dress (£20.71) which is so cute and so easy to throw on but you could totally get away with this as a dress. I love the lace insert detailing, and I can imagine this being a lovely piece to throw on whilst walking along the beach. Another dress that caught my eye for just throwing on when lounging around on the beach was this Stripe Cold Shoulder Dress (£26.53), and what drew me to this was the colour as I love anything white or light blue during the summer months as I find them safe but still pretty when paired with the right sandals or bag!

Last summer I was all about the floaty white tops, and this summer is going to be no different but with the cotton trend being so big I thought i'd try to mix it up by adding in some cute cotton pieces. This Lantern Sleeve Cold Shoulder Top (£12.27) is absolutely adorable with the bardot/cold shoulder detailing, and I love the slight puffy sleeve detail. I can just imagine myself styling this with a pair of denim shorts, or with this beautiful Floral Embroidered Denim Skirt (£20.11) which is so on trend and still girly! I also really like mixing of lace during the summer, as it instantly adds a summery element without making much effort. A favourite of mine from Zaful has to be this V Neck Lace Blouse (£17.97) as I think the tie up detailing gives of that boho vibe and it's just a really easy shape to style up. Another piece I spied on Zaful were these Striped Trousers (£12.27) which I thought were so versatile and easy to style with practically any top, but still offered a little bit of interest with the stripe. I love having a good pair of trousers to just throw on, and these looks so comfy!

Lastly onto accessories, and I was quite surprised to see that Zaful had such an amazing variety of accessories from sunglasses, to bags and even jewellery! The first accessory that caught my eye were these Crossbar Mirrored Cat Eye Sunglasses (£6), which look friggin' awesome! I loved the mirror sunglasses trend last year, but I just couldn't find a pair like these but I will definitely be getting myself a pair for Aus! Lastly whilst perusing the bag section I came across this adorable Geo Drawstring Cross Body Bag (£26.37) which I thought looked so different to any bag that I own, and I love the colour of this bag as it's so different my usual black bags! I thought this would work well to freshen up my outfits, whilst still being on trend and oh so cute!

If like me you're a Lush bathbomb hoarder, then no doubt you will have already checked out their recent limited edition collection release for all things Valentines! Now, i'm a complete single pringle but I can't help not checking out the Lush Valentines collection as I absolutely love the scents of these products as they're all floral and girly, and right up my street! So I thought i'd share my favourite picks from the collection this year, as I know you all love a good old Lush haul!

Initially I wasn't going to be picking up any products, as I am on a spending ban but I had a random tenner lying around and I haven't bought any new products this month, and I thought a teeny tiny lush splurge wouldn't hurt anyone! This year they've brought out some absolutely amazing products, as well as a few favourites from the last few years collection and i'm so excited to try the products I picked up!

From what i'd seen on social, I knew that I wanted to get my hands on the Rose Bombshell Bath Bomb (£4.25) as a Lush account that I follow on Instagram popped a demo video of this up on their story and after seeing how amazing this looked in the water I couldn't not get my hands on this. It smells absolutely incredible, as all of the ingredients are rose based and as it fizzes it releases rose petals, which sounded just bloody incredible and I cannot wait to have myself a little rose scented Lush bath with this! Another bath bomb that I wanted to get myself was the Cupid Bath Bomb (£2.95) as it looked absolutely adorable, and I always like to try out the newer products as you never know if they will come back next year. Again this smells absolutely incredible and all things floral but it has a lovely hint of bergamot which sounds so uplifting and so me!

The last product I picked up from the newer products, mainly because I am a total emoji queen is the Lovestruck Bubblebar (£4.25) which gives all of the heart eyed emoji vibes! Now I thought this was a bathbomb, and only when i've come to type up this post have I realised that it is in fact a bubblebar, and I have far too many in my stash but I still absolutely love this! I also loved this for it's citrusy scent, as I am also a huge fan of citrus scented products and again I can't wait to use this! Now the last product photographed I didn't actually buy, as I already had one in my stash but this year they've brought back the Unicorn Horn Bubblebar (£4.25) which i'm sure i'm not the only one who is happy about this! I asbolutely love this bubblebar, and this year they seemed to have improved it once again and have taken out the little stars that seemed to fall out of them before you even had chance to use them!

So those are the few bits I treated myself to from the new Lush collection, and i'd definitely recommend popping into your local store to check out the collection as you won't be disappointed!

If you follow me on Instagram, then you'll know that i'm a nail lover as i'm always snapping away my latest nail look, and theres something about having my nails done that just makes me feel good about myself and more put together. With that comes trying out different gel nail brands that are out there, and I thought it was about time I shared a couple of my favourite brands and shades, of which are so affordable and are easy to use at home.

Rewinding ever so slightly, so i've had acrylic nails since around July/August time of which I get redone at least once a month by a close friend of mine/my family, who just knows exactly how I like my nails. Generally I always have gel nails on my acrylics as gels last so much better than your normal nail polish, as gels never chip and the colour stays vibrant and shiny so much longer in comparison to normal nail polish. Being a lover of gel nails, i've been trying out a couple of brands in the past few months that have not only just impressed me, but also the lovely lady that does my nails (so much so, she has since purchased products for her own clients) and if you too love your gel nails, then these brands may be well worth checking out!

The first brand of gel polishes that I was introduced to, through my nail lady was Bluesky who do an absolutely amazing array of gel colours and she absolutely swears by them for her clients, as they are really easy to work with, last really well on the nails and are really affordable! One of my favourite shades is Pink Champagne (£6.50), which is a beautiful glittery pink that I often have as an accent nail on the ring finger nails, and is probably my most worn shade from Bluesky. Another favourite of mine is Suede Seduction (£6.50), which is a gorgeous nude pink that works hand in hand with the glittery pink, and I often love having a nude colour on my nails instead of a loud/bright shade as it suits my very minimal/monochrome dressing style. Not only do Bluesky stock a large range of polishes, they also have a massive selection of kits and tools, meaning you can easily do your own gel nails at home, and even though I usually have my nails done for me, it's so handy to have your own lamp if you decide you want to change the colour!

Moving onto a brand that i've recently been introduced to, that my nail lady now also loves is Semilac who I recently worked with on my Christmas gift guides, and they ever so kindly sent me one of their Starter Kit Semilac 3* (£70) which essentially has everything you need in order to do your own gel nails at home with a mini uv lamp, nail files, removers etc. Semilac have a lovely range of shades to choose from, as well art gels specifically designed for nail art and also a wide selection of kits and accessories. One of my favourite shades from Semilac is their UV Hybrid Gold Disco* (£8.75) which as the name would suggest is beautiful glittery gold shade, which i'm wearing on my nails above and I absolutely love it as i'm huge fan of glittery nails! With that i've paired it with the UV Hybrid Pink Rock* (£8.75) which is a lovely nude pink that has a bit more of a pop to my usual nudes, but these two shades again work hand in hand. I find that Semilac gels, although a little more pricey to last really well on the nails and the consistency of the gels are really nice to work with.

Lastly for my current gel nail loves is a more budget brand, that is major throwback for me as I used to use 2True makeup back when I was in high school a good eight or so years ago, and they've since expanded their range to include a selection of UV Gel Nails! Now, their colour range isn't as wide as your typical gel nail brand but they have your staple shades that you can't go wrong with from time to time, and i've been loving trying out some of their shades! As i've mentioned far too many times in this post, I can't beat a nude pink and i've been loving their UV Gel 'Blush' Polish* (£4) which is a lovely baby pink nude that i've been wearing as a more subtle colour for when i'm not feeling a glittery nail. I've also been loving switching up two bolder shades UV Gel 'Poppy' Polish* (£4) and UV Gel 'Berry' Polish* (£4) on my toes, and gel nails on your toes is a godsend as i'm sure i'm not the only one who hates painting their toe nails, but with gels the colour lasts so well and never gives the impression that you haven't painted your toe nails in months! For a more budget option, I would really recommend trying out 2True, especially if you're new to gel nails and don't want to break that bank.

Girls, this one's specifically for you (unless your a boyfriend wanting some tips on how to understand and I guess be there for your girlfriend) and i'm definitely not the first nor will I be the last to say that periods suck. Am I right? Or am I right? With a fair share of years of periods behind my back and wanting to bring in some content and topics this year, I thought i'd share some advice/tips on a subject that us gals can all relate to.

Now if you're like me, and you take some sort of contraceptive pill then you'll probably see how much easier periods can be, as you can easily control the regularity of them and if you decide one month you don't want a period, hey presto you can make that happen. Now i'm not saying the pill is the answer to all your prayers, because I know many people that have had endless problems with it but once you find a contraceptive that suits, and works for you then typically periods do become a little easier to manage. On top of that, there are a handful of things that I typically do during that time of the month in order to soothe pain, brighten my mood and to generally get me through what is often a pretty rubbish week.

Keep a hot water bottle on you at all times - For me, when i'm experiencing those first cramps there is nothing that works better at soothing them than a hot water bottle permanently on my stomach. I find the warmth really helps to soothe, and somewhat mask the pain. I personally love those mini hot water bottles, as they tuck easily into your waistband and aren't to bulky that they get in the way at night. I personally go for any old hot water bottle, but i've recently been eyeing up this George Home Fax Fur Hot Water Bottle (£7), as it looks so cosy!

Get cosy and drink all the tea/hot chocolate - Doing nothing but relaxing is all I tend to do during that time of the month, and although I love tea and hot chocolate all year round, I find that I drink more hot drinks during my period as the warmth again helps to soothe any pain or cramping that i'm experiencing. I love nothing more than wrapping myself up in my biggest blanket, and doing sweet nothing with some chocolate and a hot drink to keep me company.

Stock up on tampons/sanitary towels - For me, leaving the house or having to dash out due to running out of tampons on my last period and not stocking up is the worst, so i've learnt that stocking up beforehand to be an absolute godsend. I always make sure to look out for some special deal, or offer as let's be honest it's shocking that we have to pay tax on these products, let a lone pay for them in the first place, but i'm not here for a debate so i'll stop there.

Have as many bath as you like - Another thing that includes heat is having a good soak or a long hot shower, as I find that during that time of the month that I just feel generally gross, i'm sure i'm not the only one, and again the warmth helps to soothe an pain or cramping. A product that i've been using recently is the SASS Purifying Cleanser* (£7) as we all know that taking care and properly cleansing our nether regions is important, and some products can really irritate and disrupt the PH balance down there (sorry to get all TMI). This product I find to be bloody brilliant as it's so gentle and instantly freshens, leaving me just feeling amazing!

Nap like it's going out of fashion - Naps are the ultimate thing I like to do during my period, even though generally my energy levels are good often the pain can wear you out on it's own especially if you suffer badly with period pains. If you can, i'd highly advise allowing yourself some time to just nap and recoup, especially as I often have a lot of broken sleep and i'm sure i'm not the only one.

Don't be too hard on yourself - Lastly, during that time of the month I find that I can be very sensitive and one thing can put me in a foul mood, as i'm sure we all can but I try to not take things to seriously and I try to not beat myself up too much, as we are only human. Just remember, you're going to be bloated, you're going to eat lots of chocolate and you're going to be a bit of a moody cow, and so what?!

Looking back at my blog in 2016 I loved upping my fashion content, and as we are entering mid Jan I thought it was about time I posted my first fashion post of the year, with the idea of posting at least one a month! I'm absolutely loving the shoe trends at the moment, and i'm sure i'm not the only gal out there that thinks a good pair of boots can make or break an outfit, so when Ego Shoes approched me on styling up three pairs of boots for the winter season, I couldn't not say no!

THE KNEE HIGH BOOT

One style of boot that has been an on trend piece for a couple of years now has been the knee high boot, of which I absolutely love but I do find that only certain styles suit my legs as I do have a good set of thighs on me, so finding a pair that slim down my legs rather than exaggerating them is quite hard to come by. Enter these absolutely gorgeous Naturi Black Long Boots* (£34.99) and it's like all of prayers have been answered all in one! Suede, mid heel and black makes a perfect combo, and they really slim my legs down like no other knee high boot has done before. The main thing that I love about these boots is the tie detail on the back, as it adds such a nice touch and it also stops the boots falling down, especially when you're wearing a skirt and tights combo like I have here. I've been wearing these boots non stop recently, and one of my favourite outfit combos that i've styled them with has got to be a high neck, mini skirt and fluffy bomber combo as it's not only cute but it's still enough to keep me cosy and warm during these few cold months. Ego have an amazing variety of on trend long boots, from simple styles to more key trend pieces which will have you absolutely swooning just like me!

THE SOCK BOOT

For me the sock boot trend is one that I never thought i'd be able to pull off, as I assumed they'd cut my leg off at a really odd point and just wouldn't be something I could style easily, and how wrong I was! The Zina Black Ankle Boot* (£34.99) is so incredibly easy to style, and I absolutely love how versatile they are as you can wear them with an everyday outfit or you can dress them up in the evening with a little mini dress! As it's winter, I opted for one of my favourite coats with my well loved khaki zip skirt and a simple high neck, as I love how easy these types of outfits are to style up, and the ankle boots just work so well much to my surprise! If like me you're wanting to try out a trend piece, but you're not sure whether they're going to suit you or not, then i'd definitely recommend checking out the range of shoes that Ego have, as there as so many shoes that would suit so many different styles!

THE EMBROIDERED BOOT

Saving quite possibly the best boots until last, and if you've not seen or heard anything on the embroidered boot trend then you've definitely been living under a rock. For me, i'm definitely that person who plays it safe and never really wear anything but black or white shoes, so stepping out in the stunning Louisa Floral Print Ankle Boots* (£34.99) was a massive thing for me, and I absolutely love them! Styling them to begin with was quite a tricky one, but i've learnt that less is definitely more and to keep it quite simple in order to allow the boots to be the statement piece of an outfit, so I opted for a simple pair of jeans, high neck (obvs) and a gilet. These I particularly love as the pattern is so different to the standard floral embroidered boot, and the pop of colour is just what I need somedays, especially when I forget i'm wearing them and then I look down to see these beautiful boots staring back at me! Ego again have a massive range of floral boots, with many different styles from everyday boots to more evening shoes so no doubt you'll find a pair you love!

So there we have it, three staple winter boots style three different ways! I had such good fun shooting this post, as it kind of pushed me a little bit out of my comfort zone, and i'm so pleased with how the photos came out! Make sure you head on over the Ego to check out their incredible selection of shoes, and make sure to use the code 'NEXT10' on your order!

One aspect of my life that I don't really share much about is my personal life, and if you've been a long time follower of my blog or if you follow me on Instagram then you'll know that I actually have a couple of pets! Maisie, my dog is a massive part of my life, as we've now had her for six years and just like every other dog out there, she is absolutely spoilt rotten. So when Pawsomebox contacted me to receive one of their dog subscription boxes, I couldn't not turn it down as I knew she'd absolutely love it!

As the name would suggest Pawsombox is an awesome subscription box designed for dogs that you essentially sign up for and receive one box per month for as little as one month, and up to twelve months. What is great is that you can totally customise their boxes to suit your dog based on it's size, fur type and also it's age, so that the team can then select the perfect gifts and treats for your dog. Each is then individually hand packed with a selection of six products including toys, treats, pampering products and also a few miscellaneous products.

The box that I was kindly gifted was their December box, so it was obviously themed all things Christmas and with it being the month of giving I actually received eight products within this box, which I was really impressed with and Maisie was definitely pleased to receive some new toys and treats just in time for Christmas! The box itself was made out of a sturdy and good sized cardboard box, with all of the products wrapped within a really cute sheet of tissue paper along with a little magazine/brochure all about the box and few other articles on all things dogs! When I first got this home, Maisie was so excited as she loves assisting when it comes to opening Christmas presents that aren't for her, so the fact that she could smell the treats inside the box was enough for her to know this was for her.

So onto the actual contents of the December box, and as i've already said I was really surprised with the amount of products Maisie got in this box. For toys, she got three very cute and exciting Christmas themed toys including the Pet Brands Rudolf The Reindeer, which is a stuffing less toy that I personally prefer over stuffed toys as they create less mess when dogs eventually destroy them, but it does have a squeaker in it to keep her occupied. The other two toys are both rubber squeaky toys, one of which is a cute Pet Brands Vinyl Penguin and the second is a Pet Brands Vinyl Christmas Cracker that Maisie absolutely loves as she rather enjoys toys that squeak, as she enjoys making herself known. I personally love Christmas themed dog toys at Christmas time, especially if you love getting into the festive spirit and it means your dog can get into the festive mood with you!

Moving onto the treats within the box, and I was really intrigued by the treats in this box as i've never seen or heard of any of these treats. Now my dog being as spoilt as she is hadn't tried any of these until it came to writing up this post as she received far too many treats over the Christmas period. Firstly we have the IAMS Minis Beef & Apple Dog Snacks, which sound very festive in the flavour and these treats are designed to be somewhat healthy as they are gluten free, low in fat and contain no added sugar, and Maisie sure did enjoy the few of these treats I gave her. Another Christmasy themed treat within this box was the Pet Brands Christmas Assorted Biscuit Favourites, which is a Christmas cracker shaped box containing an assortment of different meat flavoured biscuits that we've been adding into her dinner once or twice a week, as a little treat when she's been good! The last of the treats is the Trixie Rice Chicken Balls, which as the name would suggest is a treat containing rice and chicken and I assume these are slightly more healthy in comparison to other dog treats, but Maisie absolutely loves these so they must be really tasty!

Onto the last few bits in the box, which are somewhat uncategorised but always come in handy when it comes to having a dog. If you have a dog like mine who loves swimming, then you'll know how muddy and dirty your dog can get so the Plouf Universal Shampoo is definitely going to come in handy, as it's designed to be used on pretty much all breeds, and is made from grape extract which helps to cleanse but to also boost shine in your dogs coat, so we'll see how that goes! Lastly we have some Pet Brands Festive Waste Bags, which I think are just hilarious but so funky! What's better than some brightly colour waste bags in order to clean up after your dog?!

So those are the contents of the December PawsomeBox, and for my first box i'm really impressed and Maisie for sure was very happy to receive some new treats and toys! If you love spoiling your dog, then i'd highly recommend checking out PawsomBox or if you have a cat, they also do the PurrfectBox designed for cats, and for less than £20 (depending on your subscription plan) a month you really do get an amazing variety of products! If you're linking of subscribing to Pawsome, make sure to use the code 'ukb1ocec' for a £5 discount on your first box!

Although i'm kicking off the New Year with a spending ban, during 2016 I discovered a few products and brands that I truly enjoyed, and will continue to love well into this next year. With that being said during 2017 I want to discover more from the brands that i've truly enjoyed this past year, whilst also discovering well talked about brands and products that i've not had the opportunity to try yet.

With being a blogger comes the love of reading my favourite blogs and discovering new bloggers, and with that comes the raving reviews of their favourite products and brands, and with that the list of products/brands I want to try becomes never ending. Throughout 2016 the same brands seem to be many bloggers favourites, making my want to try certain products a must and I thought i'd share a few brands I loved through 2016, brands I want to try more of and brands I want to discover.

Starting off with a brand that was well loved by myself and many bloggers in the last year has been NYX. Since it's launch in the UK, it allowed the brand to be so more easily accessible but there are still a few products that i've not tried but definitely want to. Since loving their Intense Butter Glosses (£5.50) their array of shades of have been calling my name, as I absolutely adore the formula of these glosses and wear the couple I have like they're going out of fashion. I also want to try out more of their contour palettes and bronzers, as i've heard some great things and I secretly adore bronzing my face up.

A brand, that although is on the pricier side I want to try more from is ABH Cosmetics. After receiving the ABH Glow Kit (£39) for my birthday it has given me the itch to try more from the brand as absolutely adore this palette. For years i've heard many bloggers and youtubers rave about the ABH Dip Brow (£15) and the ABH Brow Wiz (£15.50), and as I love experimenting with my brows and the products I use to fill in my brows, and with so many amazing comments on these products it has heightened my want to try them. I also would love to try out their lip products, but my liquid lipstick collection is getting a little out of hand.

Moving onto a brand that I vowed to try more of during 2016, and unfortunately failed but the want to discover more Charlotte Tilbury products in unreal. I absolutely adore my Charlotte Tilbury Love Liberty Lipstick (£23), and I'd love to try out a few more shades but more of the nude variety. Also being a lover of contouring and highlighting i'm always swooning over the Filmstar Bronze & Glow (£49), which I know I will just adore from the few times friends have used it on me but justifying the price tag is the only factor stopping me from purchasing it.

The last brand that I want to try more from is more of a budget brand option, that i've been trying a few products from and that is 2True, which if anyone remembers from back in the day as I was obsessed with their products back when I was in high school. After trying out few of their products recently and being super impressed it's definitely a brand I want to try more from. Their Rainbow Highlighter* (£4.95) has been a recent favourite in my makeup routine and is so different to any highlighter than i've used, and just gives all the unicorn vibes out there. So I can't wait to try out more products from them!

So those are a few brands that I want to try more from in the next year! Please feel free to leave some suggestions of products that you've loved, as i'd love to try out any well loved recommendations.

With the new year getting well underway and all of the Christmas chocolates almost gone, it seems that my skin has had a bit of melt down due to the over indulging, and one too many lazy nights where i've retreated to using a face wipe to remove my makeup. In an effort to give my skin a little detox, I thought i'd turn to some products that I know my skin loves and if you too are in need of a skin detox, then these products may be just what your skin needs.

A couple of years back, when daily blogging was doable and a skincare routine was easy to keep up with I discovered a bunch of products that my skin loved, although often the overload of products was a too much for my skin to handle. I found stripping it back, and only using certain products when my skin really needed it to be much kinder to my skin, so I thought sharing some of my favourites would in turn help any of you to discover some new products.

A long term cleanser favourite of mine has and probably always will be the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (£15.50). It works so well to really clear out all the build up in your pores, without irritating your skin or drying it out as some cleansers can. I personally love using this with the muslin cloth as it's designed to be used, soaked in hot water as it feels amazing on the skin, almost like you're giving yourself a little pamper session, when really you're just cleansing your skin. The muslin cloth also helps to remove and dead skin cells, and also helps to remove any excess makeup that may still be lingering on your skin and in your hairline. If you haven't tried out the Cleanse & Polish, i'd really recommend trying it as it is as good as everyone says it is. Another treatment that I love using when my skin is having a bit of a melt down is the Origins 10-Minute Out of Trouble Mask (£24), which works to settle and soak up any excess oil on the skin causing blemishes on the skin. What I love is that this gets to work in under ten minutes, meaning it's super quick to use if you're on a time schedule and knowing a product can get to work so quickly allows me to feel confident in the product that i'm using. I find using this a couple of times a week, when I need to that it helps to settle my skin and get it back to it's normal blemish free appearance.

Moving onto moisturising products that my skin just loves when it's need of a little extra moisture, and products I know work absolute wonders. Starting with a face oil that I never thought i'd admit to enjoying as I always thought oils made your skin oilier, but the Jurlique Skin Balancing Oil* (£38) is an absolute godsend. It's lovely lightweight yet deeply moisturising formula works to tackle signs of dryness and uneven skin tone but also works to protect the skin from the daily pollutants that it faces. I find using this once or twice a week before going to bed to really help my skin, especially when it's going through a dry phase as it eases the dryness and leaves my skin feeling so much less irritated. The last product that although is fairly new to my moisturiser stash is one that my skin has been lapping up big time. The Clinique Pep-Start HydroBlur Moisturiser (£24.50) is one I've heard a lot about in the last few months, and after trying my friends I knew that I needed to get my hands on it, and I luckily got an amazing deal in the sales at Christmas. After a good couple of weeks of using this, my skin has never felt so amazing and if like me your skin is prone to dryness and/or irritation it helps to settle your skin leaving it feeling amazing. For me it's the perfect daytime moisturiser, and I use a more thicker moisturiser at night time to give it time to sink in and works it magic.

So those are four products that I love to give my skin a little detox after all the festivity and over indulging on yummy treats. Hopefully this gives you some new product recommendations going into the New Year, and you never know you may discover some favourites!

This past year product wise I definitely discovered some favourites of mine that i'll be carrying into 2017, and it only seemed right in my typical fashion to share a selection of my favourite products from the past year or so. I personally love reflecting back on the year through the products and items that i've loved, as it often reminds of products i've not used in a while and allows me to rediscover them moving into the new year.

During 2016 I definitely prided myself in stream lining the products within my collection, and having the biggest beauty clear out to begin the New Year has left me feeling a lot more happy and confident in the products i'm using. For me 2016 allowed me to discover some new brands that i've wanted to try for some time, but also allowed me to discover products that have become firm favourites and those I now rely on, on a daily basis.

Starting with a few fashion accessories, as I rarely share fashion favourites but i've discovered a few accessories that i've gotten a lot of wear and use out of these past few months of the year. Starting with my favourite Topshop Faux Fur Beanie Hat (£14) which I fell in love with back in October, and i've worn it to absolute death over the colder months. I love anything faux fur and I loved the mix of pink and pompom detailing to this hat, and it keeps me so warm on those cold frosty mornings. Another one of my favourite accessories of this year has been my Kate Spade Floating Floral Case* (£12.99), which I spotted in my local Home Sense store and just had to have it. I secretly love Kate Spade as I think her designs exude a lovely touch of elegance that I just love.

Moving onto a few beauty favourites of the year, which i've really streamlined and stripped back as I tried and loved many products this year but I wanted to focus on the products i've loved, and have/will continued to love. One of my favourite beauty products of this year has to be the ABH Gleam Glowkit (£39), which unfortunately has been discontinued but if you're lucky enough to own this then you will know how amazing this highlighter palette is. I love all four shades in this palette, and I get so much wear out of it as it's workable for any type of makeup look. Another product that I have loved and is definitely worth the price tag/hassle is the Kylie Jenner Lip Kits ($29), I have three shades of these and I adore every single one, but my favourite has to be Candy K as I tend to wear this the most. Although getting your hands on these is a bit of a pain, i'd definitely say they are worth the hassle but I also would recommend buying off Depop just ensure they are the real deal! Another lip product i've been loving is the NYX Intense Butter Gloss (£5.50) in the shade 'Tre Leches'. Having NYX finally come to the UK was definitely a highlight of my year, and i've loved trying a handful of their products and narrowing it down to one product was hard, but it's the one i've gotten the most wear out of. The consistency and formula of this gloss has completely changed my entire opinion of glosses, and this shade is the most beautiful nude gloss.

My favourite and most worn foundation of the year has to be Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation (£7.99), which I absolutely love. From the formula to the longevity, it's everything I want from a foundation as it gives amazing coverage that lasts so well throughout the day. For a drugstore foundation i'm really impressed, and being on a spending ban for the majority of 2017 means I won't be breaking the bank when i'm in need of a new foundation. On the flip side, my favourite brow product of this year has been Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil (£18.50) and when this runs out I may weep a little, although it is totally worth it's price tag. It gives such a precise finish to my brows that no other product ever had and it lasts so well throughout the day with no smudging. Last of the makeup products with the only product that has furthered a makeup skill, the dreaded winged liner. Ever since receiving the Lancome Grandoise Eyeliner* (£23) the way that I do my winged liner has changed for good thanks to it's amazing precise nib design and moveable wand that allows you to create all sorts of angles like no other product. Again, although this is a tad on the pricey side I absolutely have loved using this product, and is one i'll be loving for years to come!

Moving onto skincare and fragrance, and in 2016 I definitely gave less of a crap about sticking to a skincare routine as I always found that the overload of products on my skin was too much for my skin to handle on a daily basis. A firm favourite of mine for a few year has been the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish (£15.50) but I particularly loved their Rose & Cedrat formula, which unfortunately isn't available anymore but I find it to be so much more gentle on my skin in comparison to their classic formula, so heres hoping they bring it back in 2017. Last of the skincare has to be the &Other Stories Punk Bouquet Body Scrub (£10) which I discovered in 2015 I believe, but I fully fell head over heels for it during this year when I was self tanning during the summer. Their scrubs work so well to remove any dead skin and left over tan, but they are so gentle on the skin that they make exfoliating a dream. Finally for this years favourites is fragrance, and my favourite of this year has been Marc Jacobs Decadence Perfume (£48), which i've worn to death for a good proportion of this year and the sexy yet feminine fragrance is to die for.

As we began the descent into 2017 i'd been reflecting a lot about the past year and what i've achieved during that time. Although 2016 for me was a bit of a buffer year in the sense that I didn't hit any major milestones in my life (other than 3,500 followers on this little ol' blog, thank you!) but I still worked towards my goals, and continued to work hard at what I do in order to better my happiness and future. With that being said I didn't want to do the corny reflections style post or the standard resolutions post, and instead I want to set myself realistic goals that I start in January and continue until i'm happy i've worked hard to complete them.

January for me isn't normally a particularly busy month, other than my Mum's birthday, not a lot usually happens although i've got quite a few plans come February that I need to prepare for as much as I can in these next few 7-8 weeks. With that being said, setting goals and I mean realistic goals that I can begin now will help to better myself and my overall life (I suppose) come February as a lot is hopefully going to change for the better this year.

Get back on the fitness train - I know i'm starting a goals post with the good old fitness goal, but during the last year I really got into eating somewhat better and actually motivating myself to use my gym membership a good 4-5 times a week, and I felt bloody amazing both outside and inside. Although I wouldn't say I have any mental health problems as such, i'd say that I felt the happiest I ever have in regards to my body and my overall body confidence, and that is something I want to get back to. So starting in January i'm pushing myself to get my ass back in that gym, even if i've had a late one at work or i'm generally not in the mood, i'm doing it!

Save, save, save - At the end of February i'm going on probably my most exciting adventure yet.. i'm going to Australia! But with that comes the cost of everything I want to do. Luckily i've already booked a few bits in order to spread the cost and make it a bit cheaper but i'm currently on a massive spending ban/budget. I'm going to be the most boring person in the next few months, as i'm not going to be partaking in anything that involves spending money (other than putting diesel in my car and paying bills) and although it'll be hard, it'll be SO worth it!

Start looking for flats/rooms to rent - The end of 2016 has been an odd one to say the least, but i've finally come to the decision that I want to move out in 2017. Although sooner than i'd planned, my happiness has got to come first next year and although renting was never in my plan, it's something I need to do for myself to better myself and my future. With that comes actually figuring out how i'm going to afford to do this, and budgeting myself in order to make this doable, but i'm going to do it even if it breaks me.

Plan and schedule - With all of the above going on, I want to also begin to get ahead of myself in blog content as I still want my blog to ticking away whilst i'm travelling Australia for two weeks. I'm usually quite good at scheduling my blog, as I did it whilst I was in Ibiza back in July but I never really plan that far ahead, however as i'm not planning on doing much during the next few weeks it will mean I have plenty of time to do so, I just hope I don't run out of ideas!

Focus on myself - Initially I was going to say 'be happy', but I often remind myself you can't just be happy by a click of your fingers, it's what you do and who/what you surround yourself with. Over the next year I want to ensure i'm not too hard on myself but I also want to focus on myself, my happiness and my future, so I guess you could say this year is about being selfish but sometimes that's what you have to do in life to become a better person.

I almost can't believe that i'm typing up my last favourites post of the year, and although December has been a hectic month it's one i've definitely enjoyed none the less. Initially I wasn't going to do a December Favourites, as I will also be doing an end of year highlights but the products within this post won't be featured in that post so I thought why not?! It wouldn't be right if I didn't do a final 2016 favourites post.

Similarly to the majority of my favourites post this year, i'm keeping it quite minimal with this months favourites as the product I use on a daily basis don't really change all that much as i've streamlined the products I use a fair amount during the year, however I have been trying a few new products this month and a few i've been particularly enjoying, so I couldn't not share with you all.

This year i've had a few amazing opportunities to work with Rimmel, of which i'm so grateful for and astounded by to this day as I never thought i'd have such an opportunity. A few weeks back they kindly sent me a lovely package with the party season in mind, which I featured a couple of products in my recent New Year Beauty Picks post and i've been particularly loving a few other products this month. Firstly i've been getting a lot of wear out of the Kate 022 Sculpting Palette* (£6.99), which i've wanted to try for some time after seeing a fair few raving reviews on it. I love the concept and idea behind this product, making contouring and sculpting easy in just three steps and i've enjoy the simplicity of this product. The shades within this palette are perfect for my skin tone and give a beautiful but build-able contour, blush and highlight. I also love the rose gold touches to this packaging of this palette, and makes a lovely prop for blog/insta photos! Another product i've been loving from Rimmel is their Wonder'full Mascara* (£7.99), which i've not tried a mascara similar to this before. It's flexible wand with soft bristles make it so easy to coat the lashes whilst giving an amazing amount of volume and length without coating the lashes with a clumpy coating that I find a fair few mascaras do. If you're wanting to try a new mascara i'd highly recommend giving this one a go.

Moving onto a skincare item i've heard some amazing things about, and although i'm huge fan of Soap & Glory i've not tried many of their skincare products. Since recieving a lovely packagae from Soap & Glory i've been getting a fair bit of use out of their Speed Plump All-Day Super Moisturiser Marvel* (£13.99), which is a described as a full throttle attack on dry skin and as a sufferer of dry skin this sounds like just what my skin is in need of. I've been using this as my day moisturiser as it's fast absorbing and super hydrating formula sinks in, in time for me to complete my daily makeup in the few minutes I allow in a morning. It also improves the appearance of my skin, giving it a plump and healthy glow that it often lacks, and I just love what it does for my skin. Last for this favourites post is probably my favourite Christmas presents that my Mum kindly got me, and i've been wearing it to death ever since. I've wanted YSL Black Opium Perfume (£42.30) ever since a fair few friends of mine raved about how much they love it! My choice in fragrance has changed over the past couple of years and although I still adore my Marc Jacobs scents, I also love a more rich mysterious yet still feminine scent and this perfume is just that, of which I absolutely love.

So that is everything i've been loving for the month of December, and i'd highly recommend trying out these products! All in all 2016 has brought some beauty discoveries that i'll keep with me for years to come, and i'll be sharing some of my favourite discoveries of the year over the next couple of weeks.

Firstly I wanted to start this post by saying Happy New Year, as this is the first post of 2017 and I can't believe i'm entering my fifth year of blogging! With that being said one of my goals for this year is to really focus on my blog, and really push it to it's full potential, and I thought there was nothing better than to kick of the year with a post dedicated to getting organised for 2017, and how I plan to further my blog. I will also be doing more of goals style post at the end of the week, so keep an eye out for that.

This past year i've definitely gotten my blog back on track to a point where i'm really happy, although it took a while and a lot of motivation i'm finally at a point where I can keep to a schedule that works for me and my life currently. Having said that, I really want to push my blog and it's content further but in doing that I need to get myself and my content more organised going forward as I currently don't plan ahead all that much. If like me you too are wanting to get yourself more organised, then I hope these pointers/tips also help you to get organised in 2017.

Plan, plan, plan - For me planning is always key, and is one thing I somewhat pride myself in. See for me planning content is the easy part, is just finding the time to get photos taken and content actually scheduled. In order to stick to a schedule it's key to have some sort of plan in hand, whether it be making lists or writing on a calendar which posts you want to go up on certain days and ticking them off once you've written/posted them will really help in the long run. Finding your own groove when it comes planning will hands down make your content/blog easier to run and it means when you've got a free hour or so, you can try to get ahead of yourself a little.

Be aware of timekeeping - Timekeeping for me is what has allowed me to get my blog somewhat back on track this year. For me when it comes to the weekends, I always ensure that no matter what i've got planned i'm always aware of the time, and what spare time I have in order to work on my content. One way in which I stay on top of my timekeeping is of course from wearing a watch, as I don't always have my phone on me and a watch is so easy to allow you to keep on track. If you're a long follower then you'll know I love my Daniel Wellington watches and my current favourite it the Classic Black Reading Watch* (£139) as it goes with everything I wear, and since I began wearing watches i've noticed how much more organised and on top of things as i'm always aware of the time.

Set yourself realistic goals - One thing I always remind myself is to be realistic with the goals that i'm setting myself for my blog, as there are definitely times where I get myself quite stressed out when i've set myself unrealistic objectives that I know i'm just never going to meet. If you know that you can get a good two blog posts written in a day, maybe three if you really focus on the topics at hand then that's great but don't push yourself to try and go overboard because I find that my posts often lack that connection and heart if i've rushed my content. Remember be kind to yourself, and allow your writing to flow naturally.

Be persistent and motivated - The way in which i've managed to get my blog schedule to three posts a week is through persistence, as I vowed to myself that I wouldn't let my blog content to fall off like it did a year or so ago. If like me you're motivated and driven to do better with your blog, then persistence is key as it gives you that drive and that goal to work towards in order to push yourself and your blog forward. Having said that, and going back to my previous point remember to set yourself a realistic schedule that works to you and your life/workload.

So those are the ways in which I have bettered not only my blog but also myself, and will continue to do so and build upon over the next year. Lastly I want to say a massive Happy New Year to all of you lovely people who have stuck with me through this year, and also a massive thank you to all of you who have followed this year. Without this little space on the internet I wouldn't be where I am today, and for that i'm forever grateful. (Don't forget there's still time to get yourself 15% off at Daniel Wellington with the code 'SPLURGING').